During Black History Month, we’re spotlighting four exceptional Black-owned businesses that are shaping Downtown Brooklyn, bringing creativity, community, and excellence to the neighborhood.
Mat Blak New York Founder, Ken Marcelle
Mat Blak New York: A Holistic Sanctuary for Self-Care
At Salons by JC, inside One Boerum Place, Mat Blak New York has created a space for men where grooming, floral design, and jazz converge.
The philosophy is simple but powerful, when men take care of themselves, everyone around them benefits. After nine years cutting hair solo, the founder, Ken Marcelle, took space at Salons by JC, offering expert barbering, beard specialties, facials, massage, body hair grooming, and natural hair services.
What sets Mat Blak apart is the artistry. Trained by florist Sarah of Saipua, Marcelle incorporates custom floral design for partners, recitals, home installations, and events.
Visit the Mat Blak New York website for appointments and floral inquiries.
NY Beauty Suites Founder, Johanne Brierre
NY Beauty Suites: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
NY Beauty Suites opened its doors at 81 Willoughby Street during the pandemic. Johanne Brierre founded it as a co-working space; it has since evolved into a full-fledged entrepreneurial hub. The space has become a comprehensive support system, reshaping how the next generation approaches beauty careers.
Beautypreneur training, Content Creation courses, in-school programming at Clara Barton High School, and the annual Small Biz Pop-Up bringing 600+ businesses together each November. Partnerships with NHBC have brought in “Living Single” stylists to teach about retirement planning and creating multiple income streams.
The facility offers flexible options: traditional monthly rentals and Flex, a daily rental model. “We want to help people build their business, not be an obstacle,” Johanne says.
Beauty professionals can book space at nybeautysuites.com or email hi@nybeautysuites.com.
[salon] 718 Founder, Michaella Blisset-Williams
[salon]718: grounded in brooklyn pride
What started in the mid-2000s as a two-chair studio in founder Michaella Blisset-Williams’ brownstone basement has grown into seven locations across Brooklyn. The name [salon]718 honors Brooklyn’s original area code—”a nod to our roots, our pride, and our commitment to staying connected to where we started,” Michaella explains.
While Michaella’s mother was a salon owner who wanted to pass on the business, Michaella wasn’t ready yet. When she finally opened [salon]718 to meet the need for an upscale Brooklyn salon, she discovered her calling went beyond hair. “It became about empowerment, confidence, and transformation—both for clients and for the artists behind the chair.”
Downtown Brooklyn’s vibrant, diverse energy at 80 DeKalb Avenue is the perfect location. “The neighborhood is full of ambition and creativity. We felt instantly aligned with it,” Michaella says. The community has shaped everything—from services to values—pushing [salon]718 to be more inclusive and thoughtful.
The salon’s atmosphere is warm and relaxed. The signature is texture-inclusive, customized services delivered by trained artists. What keeps clients coming back is trust.
Visit [salon]718 at 80 DeKalb Avenue.
Founders Ben Grossman, Craig Samuel, with Chef and Partner Damian Laverty-McDowell
Peaches Prime: Two Decades of Hospitality
Walk into Peaches Prime at 590 Fulton Street and you’ll find neighbors greeting one another at the bar, couples lingering over pre-theater cocktails, and warm conversation.
Part of the Peaches Hospitality Group founded by Ben Grossman and Craig Samuel (alongside Chef and Partner Damian Laverty-McDowell), Peaches Prime opened in 2022 but its Downtown Brooklyn roots run nearly two decades deep. They opened their first restaurant, The Smoke Joint, in Fort Greene in 2006.
The name “Peaches” honors Samuel’s wife’s grandmother, whose warmth shaped the group’s philosophy. “She represents hospitality in its purest form,” Samuel says.
Peaches Prime is the most exquisite of the group’s four locations, a place for crafted cocktails and special occasions. The menu offers raw oysters, steak frites, roasted chicken, and handmade pastas, including the top-selling oxtail fettuccine blending Caribbean and Southern flavors.
Located near BAM, BRIC, TFANA, Brooklyn Paramount, and Barclays Center, Peaches Prime has become a natural gathering place. “This neighborhood has grown around us,” Samuel says. “But we still see the same guests we met on day one.”
Make a reservation and visit Peaches Prime.
These four businesses represent the innovation, creativity, and community-building that Black entrepreneurs bring to Downtown Brooklyn. We celebrate their contributions to the neighborhood’s vibrant landscape.
